pearls

Pearls of Wisdom
PUBLISHED
BY
COMMUNITY
A S S O C I AT I O N S
INSTITUTE

130 Cultured Gems for Community

Association Living—and Leading
H. Jackson Brown, Jr., wrote Life’s 30. Conduct a reserve study and
update it on a regular basis.
Little Instruction Book to provide his son with wisdom 31. Let the manager manage.
32. Focus on policies, plans, and
he could refer to as he lived his life. In that same spirit, objectives.
CAI leaders throughout the years have shared their 33. Communicate, communicate
and communicate some more.
advice and pearls of wisdom for better community
34. Seek the advice of qualified
association life. Here then are 130 tips to guide you and professionals.
to ensure that your community association experience 35. Make decisions with the
common good in mind, not self-
enhances your life and your community. interest.
36. Educate residents.
37. Stay on top of association
BE A GOOD HOMEOWNER 14. Remember that you are a management trends.
1. Review the covenants, member of the community 38. Build alignment and consensus
conditions and restrictions association. What is good for within communities.
(CC&Rs) and other association the association is good for you. 39. Anticipate and prevent
documents before you buy a conflicts.
home. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR 40. Remember your fiduciary duty
2. Read them again when you 15. Curb thy dog. to protect, preserve, and
move in. enhance the value of the
16. Keep televisions and music at
3. Pay your assessments—on time. reasonable volumes. property.
4. Attend the annual meeting. 17. Park in your own space(s).
5. Read the newsletter and the 18. Don’t be a six-car family. BE A GOOD LEADER
minutes of association 41. Provide community leadership.
meetings. 19. Take care of your property.
20. Help form a neighborhood 42. Establish and articulate goals.
6. Follow the rules. 43. Define clear expectations.
watch.
7. Serve on a committee. 44. Don’t put things off.
21. Walk softly.
8. Serve on the board or, at a 45. Set high standards.
minimum, attend board 22. Share a smile with a neighbor.
meetings. 23. Offer to lend a hand. 46. Make thoughtful and timely
24. Welcome new neighbors into decisions.
9. Don’t expect someone else to
do it for you. the community. 47. Do what is right, not necessarily
25. Nurture relationships. what is popular.
10. Help organize a community
event—a food drive, holiday 26. Talk about problems. Direct 48. Ask others for help and input.
gift drive, or social event. conversation is more effective 49. Plan and save for the future.
11. Vote in community-wide than sending a letter or banging 50. Say thank you—send a note,
referendums. on a wall. make a call.
12. Volunteer to serve your 51. Say please.
community. BE A GOOD BOARD 52. Build consensus.
13. Consider how your particular MEMBER 53. Be an advocate.
knowledge, skills, and 27. Serve because you care about 54. Encourage strategic planning.
experience can help the your neighborhood, not because
community. you have a hidden agenda. 55. Execute with excellence.
28. Use CAI courses and
information to learn how to run HAVE PRODUCTIVE
a community association and MEETINGS
work most effectively with 56. Distribute materials—financial
others in your community. reports, agenda, etc.—to board
29. Study the documents before you members at least a few days
enforce them. before board meetings.
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57. Review this material.
58. Prepare a timed agenda and
follow it.
59. Use the rules of parliamentary
procedure.
60. Don’t let meetings turn into
non-productive social events.
61. Listen.
62. Be polite.
63. Hold open meetings, where all
owners can attend.
64. Include an open forum on your
agenda.
65. Make sure a quorum is present.
WORK WITH
COMMITTEES
66. Define the committee’s purpose.
67. Support and encourage
committee members—remember
they are your future leaders.
68. Keep in touch with them.
69. Seek their opinions.
70. Ensure that they follow the rules
of parliamentary procedure.
77. Talk with service providers
and professional suppliers to
estimate costs.
78. Be realistic.
79. Raise assessments when
necessary, and explain clearly
why this is necessary.
80. Communicate the budget to
members in advance of the new
fiscal year.
81. Look for ways to control
expenses, but don’t reduce the
level or quality of services
without seeking input and
advising the owners.
SEEK COMPLIANCE
WITH RULES AND DEED
RESTRICTIONS
82. Give residents a voice when
creating a rule.
83. Communicate the rules to
residents.
84. Make rules specific and
reasonable.
85. Review the rules—new ones
may be needed, old ones may
TENANTS AND KIDS,
PARKING AND PETS
96. Tenants are not outcasts.
Involve them in the
community.
97. Publish a tenant’s handbook.
98. Invite children to help organize
events.
99. Give children a place to play.
100. Tow cars only as a last resort,
and after you have given
notice.
101. Place parking signs where they
can be seen.
102. Give pets a place to walk.
WORK WITH DIFFICULT
PERSONALITIES
103. Remember, constructive
criticism provides impetus to
positive change.
104. Be diplomatic.
105. Listen.
106. Be interested.
107. Remain calm.
108. Work together – two people

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71. Work with committees to
establish realistic objectives and
deadlines.
72. Remember, committees typically
offer recommendations, not
solutions.
73. Offer them praise and
acceptance. Cheer, thank, and
need to be discarded.
86. Make the first contact with
violators informal and in person
if possible.
87. Never “look the other way.”
88. Offer compromises.
89. Hold a hearing.
cooperating are more effective
than one person telling another
to change.
109. Never complain about
complainers—your words will
get back to you.
110. Invite them to volunteer.

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recognize them. 90. Try arbitration or mediation.
91. Hold public meetings on FOSTER COMMUNITY
DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL controversial rules. SPIRIT
BUDGET 92. Be consistent. 111. Recruit new residents to
74. Obtain input from owners, volunteer.
93. Be reasonable.
board members, committees, 112. Promote volunteerism as a
94. Give clear and proper notice.
and management. positive experience—and make

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95. Practice due process. it a positive experience.
75. Conduct research to ensure the
budget is based on accurate
information and projections.

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76. Develop a month-by-month
evaluation—don’t just divide by 12.

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 113. Be enthusiastic.
114. Publicize the association’s
accomplishments.
115. Recognize volunteers.
116. Give awards.
117. Meet people.
118. Hold social events and “meet
your neighbors” nights.
119. Offer motivation for serving.
120. Invite people to volunteer via
the newsletter, in-house
bulletins, and through face-to-
121. Print a community t-shirt.
122. Recognize children in the
community who are on honor
role, in sports, or for other
special achievements.
123. Conduct surveys to gauge
community opinion and solicit
input.
124. Use e-mail and a Web site.
KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME
TO GO
127. Make yourself available to new
board members.
128. Continue to read the
newsletter.
129. Pat yourself on the back.
130. Share the positive rewards of
volunteering.

pearls
face contacts. 125. Check your blood pressure.
126. If you’re burned out, get out.
New volunteers can offer new
energy and ideas.

Community Associations Institute (CAI)

Founded in 1973 as a multidisciplinary, nonprofit alliance serving all stakeholders
in community associations, CAI is the only national organization dedicated to
fostering vibrant, responsive, competent community associations.
CAI is regarded as the national expert in educational programs and publications
about community association governance, operations, and management. CAI’s
members look to us for information about educational opportunities, technologies,
and better ways to run their communities.
CAI has more than 15,000 members in 55 chapters throughout the United States
and in several foreign countries.

To learn more about CAI member benefits, services and products, visit
www.caionline.org or call (703) 548-8600, M – F, 9 – 5 ET.

We thank all members and staff, past and present, who offered pearls of wisdom
reflected here.
© 2003 Community Associations Institute